What a troubled power plant tells us about the future of nuclear energy in the U.S.

American reliance on nuclear power has steadily increased from 11 percent to 30 percent of the country’s electrical output since the 1970s. However, three decades have gone by without a successful attempt to build any modern reactors, a fact that threatens the country’s position as world’s largest producer of nuclear power.

And that matters in the battle against global warming. According to some proponents of nuclear energy, if the U.S. pulls back even more on nuclear power, it’s possible that efforts to curb climate change could fall flat. Read more…